An NFL salary cap expert told Sports Business Society members Wednesday that he believes there is a good possibility there will be an NFL season this year.
J.I. Halsell, an ESPN insider who has worked for the NFL, the Washington Redskins, and now a sports agent in Chicago, said that he believes the current labor issues between the players and owners of the NFL will not prevent the NFL season from happening.
“I think we have an on time start to our regular season,” Halsell said.
Halsell said that the best-case scenario for football fans would be if Judge Susan Nelson grants an injunction after the two sides finish mandated mediation. An injunction would make the owners’ lockout illegal and would allow players to go back to work and receive paychecks while the labor issues are negotiated behind the scenes.
“It seems likely based on the hearing that she’s leaning towards an injunction,” Halsell said. “If you want to see a training camp and free agency you want an injunction.”
If an injunction is not granted, then the owners’ lockout will continue and players will not be able to return to work, Halsell said. Halsell said that if players are not back in facilities by midsummer, then fans should start to worry if players will have enough time to get ready for a season.
“If we don’t have the players back in the facilities by July 1, we’ll have a problem,” Halsell said.
In the meantime, mediated negotiations between players and owners aren’t making much progress.
“The owners picked this fight,” Halsell said. “I tend to side with the players.”
Issues such as how the players and owners share revenues, the idea of an 18-game season, and a rookie wage scale are among the issues still being debated.
“I think the owners will get the increased revenues that they’re looking for, but the players will fight back,” Halsell said. “The players are going to get some things in return.”